Janelle James enjoys her ‘Abbott’ character’s arc. Just don’t make her dance again

As soon as Janelle James read for the role of the cheerfully self-absorbed chaos queen that is Principal Ava Coleman on “Abbott Elementary,” she had her down. “I was like, ‘OK,’ and then I went home and googled it.” Ava is a joke machine, and James lands them all with casual flair. That’s what I enjoy about it, and that’s what Ava is doing as well.” Janelle James as outrageous Principal Ava Coleman in “Abbott Elementary.” Over three seasons, the writers have incorporated more of James into her character. “Here’s the thing: Ava didn’t have to have an arc, she could continue to just be the joke person,” says James, crediting creator Quinta Brunson and the writers for their fresh approach. “We’re definitely following a sitcom format, but we’re taking these characters places.” Season 3 finds Ava back from a summer school course that turned her into a real leader.